A surface-treated steel sheet and a process for its production. The surface-treated steel sheet has, on at least one surface of the steel sheet, a surface-treating layer that chiefly comprises zirconium and oxygen, and contains fluorine, the surface-treating layer containing an element of the Group II on the surface side thereof. The surface-treated steel sheet features excellent adhesion to the organic resin coating, excellent corrosion resistance, and can provide metal cans that feature excellent adhesion to the resin on the inner and outer surfaces of the cans and excellent resistance against the elution of fluorine.
